Greek Economy.

• Author: COLIAS, MIKE
• Position: Economy Greek Market, profile - Brief Article

100-YEAR-OLD MARKET STILL SPICY

They come to Economy Greek Market for the hard-to-find Greek and Middle Eastern groceries: imported olives and spices, filo dough, spanikopita, lamb and sweet, sticky baklava. They come because they know the feta cheese -- imported in 100-pound wooden barrels -- is the best in town.

And they've been coming for 100 years.

The market, now at 1035 Lincoln Ave., was opened in 1901 by the store's name-sake -- Greek immigrant Stephen Economy (Economos in Greek). It is likely the oldest continually operating market in Denver.

So how has it lasted?

"I think we've developed a loyal customer base over the decades by bringing in merchandise that you couldn't find anywhere else." Said owner Jim Katsaros.

The store still has a few patrons from its original location on Market Street -- a spot it vacated around 1930.

Stephen Economy emigrated in 1895 from the mountains near Tripoli, Greece, to Chicago, where he learned English. Soon he sought work in the mines out West, joining other Eastern European immigrants on a train to Sunrise, Wyo., in 1899.

Economy eventually made his way to Denver, where he bought a small general store near the intersection of 17th and Market streets.

"Back then, there were thousands of Greek immigrants working on the railroad or in the mines outside of town," said Economy's son, Chris, 88.

Greeks -- along with Bulgarians, Romanians and other Eastern Europeans -- would flock to Denver on the weekends. Many would congregate at Stephen Economy's small general store, where shelves were stocked with ethnic meats, cheeses, wines, clothing and Middle Eastern books and religious trinkets.

"My father's pride and joy back then was a coffee-bean grinder from back East," Chris Economy said. "It was made of stone instead of metal, so it didn't burn the beans. He served the best coffee in town."

As a kid, Economy accompanied his father on dawn-to-dusk trips delivering cheese, lamb and supplies to immigrant workers in remote towns such as Erie and Brighton.

After living in Chicago and New York City -- where he married Laura, his wife of 64 years -- Chris Economy returned to Denver in the late 1940s.

By then, the market had relocated to a store on 18th and Curtis streets.

"I...